re: Arizona the Beautiful - 8/11/2011 - 11/13/2012
It seems AZ is a nice place if you're privileged, privileged enough to live in Scottsdale where the 10 largest employers aren't even the 10 largest companies headquartered there since they're wise enough to avoid conducting commerce in the state. Scottsdale where the median household income is $90K annually and three times the national average and necessarily so since you have to have amplitudes of disposable income for your cooling bills.
Even Detroit Michigan would seem as limitless and wonderful if your income was as high.

Yes. Dry heat in the desert for the most part. Although that claim has a large flaw. The two months out of the which are also the hottest, its monsoon season. July and August, give or take a week or two, are extremely humid. Imagine the worst humidity in the country that you have ever felt, then add 15 degrees to it. If you can stay indoors or take a vacation for a month or two (which most do, even the ones that "love it here") you will be able to handle the rest of it. If being able to handle this type of climate is what you want.

Dry heat, ok. Hot and miserable, yes. Oppressively uncomfortable about 300+ days/yr. Constant state of drought, water is expensive, utilities high, housing expensive, traffic is always bad. Rude drivers, angry people, lots of drugs, thieves, gangs, fraud, auto theft,high school dropout rate is one of the highest in US couples with teen pregnancy rate make Arizona a sad place to live.

Anyone thinking of moving from Arizona to California let me know let's do it together I have one child 10 years old and I'm stuck here, it's time to get out it's time to leave this hellhole and move back to the promise land but I need help with finances and let's do it together? Let's talk! I'm a 37 yr old single mom who is stuck in az and I want, need to move home!
The cost of moving is so much I figure if we could Share the cost, even motivate one another we could get it done faster and move before it is a 200° this summer! I'm looking to go back to the beach in Orange County! But at first we, I'll need to get on my feet! So I know i won't be able to go directly from Az to a cliff mansion on spyglass hill in corona del mar but I will someday soon! I know I'll have to start out either in Costa Mesa or fountain valley!? Somewhere a little bit inland but only a couple miles from the water! So if you're like me and want to raise your child at the beach and truly want to leave this state az (hell) call me.4802383844 roseandstellaslater@gmail.com

Anyone thinking of moving from Arizona to California let me know let's do it together I have one child 10 years old and I'm stuck here, it's time to get out it's time to leave this hellhole and move back to the promise land but I need help with finances and let's do it together? Let's talk! I'm a 37 yr old single mom who is stuck in az and I want, need to move home!
The cost of moving is so much I figure if we could Share the cost, even motivate one another we could get it done faster and move before it is a 200° this summer! I'm looking to go back to the beach in Orange County! But at first we, I'll need to get on my feet! So I know i won't be able to go directly from Az to a cliff mansion on spyglass hill in corona del mar but I will someday soon! I know I'll have to start out either in Costa Mesa or fountain valley!? Somewhere a little bit inland but only a couple miles from the water! So if you're like me and want to raise your child at the beach and truly want to leave this state az (hell) call me.4802383844 roseandstellaslater@gmail.com

I moved here from the Midwest about 7 months ago. It was my dream to move to a warmer climate for health reason. I did my research on this place and I actually flew out here for an interview and got the job. which I thought was descent. Got a place to live, at that point I was so happy. I sold my house, left my great job all for sunshine and better health. things were going my way finally after 2 years of hard decision making.(should I stay or go scenario)
So I packed up my Husband and two daughters, grandmother and dog. We started on a new life adventure. The first couple of months were great. Getting to know the areas enjoying the Paradise. My job became a night mare. The company that hired me cut back on hours because that's what Arizona can do. they are an "At Will State" they take forever to hire a person, they preform so called back ground checks that take anywhere from 4-6 weeks. in the meanwhile if you are not Rockefeller or have a bank roll you can stave to death waiting for a position that you might not even get a call back. no thank you for applying or anything. So like any human being you start to panic because you have to work to pay bills, and to have shelter. You start applying at different places. Anywhere and Everywhere. The favorite pay structure here is, Will offer you $8.50 for 25 hours no benefits but that's full time. you also will have about 10 other jobs you have to do. but that's fulltime. what a joke! Yes I can say the weather here is GREAT. but who cares about sunshine if you end up starving to death and become homeless. I would say Arizona is nice if you have MONEY point blank. There is no way to progress here. The salaries cant compensate a descent living. Yes there are a lot of beautiful houses. but no Jobs to go with it.

Yes, the sunrises & sunsets in the desert are spectacular, as are the views at a distance and the ubiquitous natural beauty. Problem is, just about every 'organized' settlement wants to recreate (insert name of Eastern riparian state). That takes water. Development-hypers fail to mention this vital element is both a finite and declining (in amount & quality) resource. Yet the Arizona economy continues to rely on 'development'. The siren of greater population for more revenue has a much shorter shelf-life than the need to replenish exhausted sources of water, e.g., pumping ground water at some geometrically greater rate than the aquifers refill. It's a negative-sum game. Wanna visit? OK, bring lots of touristy appetites & dollars. Wanna relocate here? Bring your own water.

If you are considering moving to any area in Arizona, please make sure that you love it for yourself and for the right reasons. Job is not one of them. If you visit anytime between of November - March, don't be fooled. People will tell you that it's only bad 4 - 5 months out of the year but it's just not true. If you enjoyed the movie Groundhog Day, you may be okay from November to March. But the 4-5 months that are not so bad, make up for the rest. But it's really not just the weather. It's the quality of life. It sucks. That is the only word for it. The people suck and don't really care if you live or die, which is why there are at least 2 fatal accidents on the road every day. Plus, you are surrounded by concrete, buildings, houses with no yards, smog, strip malls, no grass, trees, nature, etc. Really, this isn't just a bitter persons opinion, it's just the plain truth. There is only one reason to live and/or stay in Arizona and that is family. In the end, it is the only thing that will create a decent quality of life. I have lived all over the nation with and without family around. In the places I've lived without family, it's been hard but I loved many things about the particular state and my quality of life was good. Living in Arizona for 8 years, worst quality of life I have ever known. Again, this is not out of bitterness or anything that happened, it's just Arizona.

I have a 2nd grader at Imagine Rosefield, this is our first year of being here and absolutely love this school. After being in public schools for two years and my daughter constantly being bullied and being told every day that the only thing keeping her out of the principles office for talking is because she's such a sweet girl, I knew than It was time to pull her out of public school. At Imagine Rosefield the staff is wonderful I have not had any problems with them what so ever. They are extremely helpful and understanding. The teachers are wonderful they encourage the kids to push a little harder to reach there next goal whether it be in reading or math. The school is on top of the bully issue and gets things resolved quickly. They really make the kids accountable for their actions . This school builds up our children and lets them know they can do anything they want.

Arizona is a great state to live if you like diversity in the climate. In the lower deserts, you have the warmth, but can get very hot during the summer. In the mountains just two hours away from Phoenix, you can get a reprieve from that heat and cool off under the pine trees. During winter, the lower deserts are rarely ever "cold". Sweatshirt jackets work just fine for our family! But if you are into skiing and sledding, just 2 hours into the mountains and you have a few ski locations to choose from. Just a short drive for a drastic change of scenery...that defines Arizona.

If you're considering living in Phoenix, please know that it is in the desert and it IS HOT nine months out of the year. No getting around that. On the other side of the coin, the winters are mild and comfortable.
If you are into old money and culture, Arizona should not be your first choice, but if you love outdoor and water activities, and informal fun, you may want to check it out.
If you have strong political opinions, do your homework. Our politicians do too.
Arizona borders Mexico and the border is a long one. This creates unique issues here and should be considered.
If you have school aged children, you should know that our education system here is below par.
Although there is a high unemployment rate here, I see plenty of opportunities for people who have the drive to pursue them.
The people here are PEOPLE. Just like people everywhere. Since the bulk of the population here is not indigenous, there is a wide variety of religious faiths, political viewpoints, languages and opinions. Whatever yours may be, you can be sure you can find like-minded people in Arizona.

Contrary to what my aunt said, I love living in Arizona! I am originally from CA but have spent summers in Northern AZ with my grandparents. They were born and raised here in AZ on the Navajo Reservation and have shown me that there is no place like home. I have been to other states and seen a lot of nice places but it's always nice to return to AZ. I currently live in the Valley of the Sun and enjoy it! I must admit I will return to Northern AZ in the future because I have a lot of fond memories there with my grandparents. Until then, AZ can get pretty hot but thank goodness for A/C!

Hi, I’m English and still live in England but am looking to move over in the next year or so with my American wife.
She is from Az but we have lived in the UK for 5 years now. The main thing about the UK is the weather, it’s so bland. It very rarely gets hot in summer or cold in winter. I like extremes, like snow and heat! I love going over to see the wife’s family in Az you can rest assured that the sun will be shining!